How to Use Voice Technology in Warehouse Management

Warehouse management has come a long way from the days of clipboards, order slips, and manually-sorted stock items. From computer-based ordering systems to robotic selection tools, warehouses now run much more efficiently and often at a lower cost than in the past. Voice technology is one such innovation that makes warehouse order picking and other tasks much easier.

To use voice technology, a employee is equipped with a headset that includes a microphone. Rather than needing a piece of paper in hand, picked up from the office, voice instructions are relayed using radio frequency from the office to the employee, who is already on the warehouse floor. It is all hands free, meaning someone can operate a fork lift without having to hold an order form in one hand.

The technology uses computer software to record and playback the orders, while the employee doing the order picking only wears the wireless headset. Some voice systems include speech recognition and speech synthesis so that text orders can be transmitted to warehouse operatives via voice, and anything the operatives say through the headset can be transcribed back into text. They are also designed to work even in noisy environments, as many warehouses are.

The receiver, connected to the headset transmits the voice over a Local area network (LAN) using standard wireless 802.11 technology. This means that it may work with an existing wireless network, without the need for additional hardware. At the most, a company may need to add additional access points inside the warehouse for complete coverage.

Voice technology adds another layer of convenience and efficiency to warehouse management. With it many warehouses have eliminated a great deal of the unnecessary footwork involved in tracking and picking orders. Many have even managed to double their efficiency, simply by giving employees better control over their work processes.